This paper analyzes the success factors of health tourism based on natural attractions in selected European spa and health destinations. The natural resources included in the offers, such as water, salt, and air, play a central role in this context, as their evidence-based effects have a high relevance for the health and wellbeing of tourists. Due to its specific geographical location and considering the threat of climate change, however, this offer is facing increasing challenges which make adaptation strategies necessary. In addition to a conceptional introduction to the topic, this paper contains a descriptive analysis of tourism statistics and the results from self-administered questionnaires with six selected representatives from alpine health destinations (DE, FR, IT, AT, CH, SI). The results show varying forms of health tourism based on natural attractions, which are also reflected in online marketing, with potential for optimization. The web research and the responses to the questionnaire revealed that evidence-based studies hardly play a role in promoting health touristic offers. Furthermore, climate change effects on natural attractions are considered extremely small and tend to prompt the development of new offers. Health destinations are advised to generate a clearer focus on the risks of climate change regarding natural resources.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led the tourist industry to a standstill. It also creates the potential to change both the global tourism industry and the context in which innovation management takes place in the medium to long term. The web-based open innovation approach provides one of the possibilities to uncover technical opportunities in the context of rapidly changing environment. This article takes a qualitative approach to explore the benefits of open innovation approach for destination management organizations (DMOs). The analysis of 15 semi-structured interviews reveals nine specific benefits that arise from the three types of open innovation. The findings deepen an understanding of the potential that the open innovation approach offers for DMOs. The study further creates a background to collaborative tourist recovery COVID-19 pandemic through smart destination ecosystems.

Germany’s traditional health resorts and spas have undergone far reaching transformation processes, triggered mainly by health care system reforms that started in the 1990s and resulted in significant cuts to the public funding of traditional restorative ‘Kur’ treatments in these destinations. Consequently, there has been a significant shift towards Germany’s so-called ‘second health care market’, which captures all privately funded health-related products and services. This paper provides an insight into these highly complex transformation processes using three Bavarian health resorts and spas (Bad Birnbach, Bad Füssing and Bad Griesbach) as case examples. Semi-structured interviews with experts from the three destinations offer insight into the structural transition towards the second health care market, including its manifold challenges and opportunities in an emerging health-leisure nexus.

So far, only a minor proportion of businesses – across all economic sectors – has a business model designed to meet the complex requirements of the UN 2030 Agenda. The transformation to a more sustainable economy for the benefit of people and the planet, let alone honouring the principles of Humanistic Management, remains a Herculean task. This article presents family-run companies from the hospitality and tourism industry that have succeeded in aligning their corporate structures, products, and operations with Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, building the bridge to –and, in part, explicitly integrating –principles of Humanistic Management. A systemic approach serves as the conceptual-theoretical framework, providing a valuable basis for better understanding the role of individual companies in the complex overall system of the 2030 Agenda. Based on three case studies, presenting findings from expert interviews with selected managing directors or owners of family businesses, it becomes clear that this type of business is particularly well suited to successfully manage the multi-layered challenges of a transformation due to its inherent characteristics.

Zusammenfassung Die COVID-19-Pandemie betrifft nicht nur viele Segmente der Wirtschaft und dort insbesondere die Freizeit- und Tourismuswirtschaft, sondern auch den Ausbildungssektor, d. h. Schulen, Hochschulen und Universitäten. Insofern ist die akademische Tourismusausbildung doppelt betroffen: einerseits sind Studiengänge in der bisherigen Form nicht mehr durchführbar und erfordern neue Lehrformate und -konzepte seitens der Lehrenden. Andererseits zeigen sich zunehmend Herausforderungen für den akademischen Nachwuchs, Arbeitsplätze nach Abschluss des Studiums und/oder (studiumsbegleitende) Praktikumsplätze in der Freizeit- und Tourismuswirtschaft zu finden. Der vorliegende Projektbericht widmet sich der Perspektive der Lehrenden und analysiert die Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf die deutschsprachige Tourismushochschul- und Universitätslandschaft.